(Newser)
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Nidal Hasan is only the latest in a series of Western Muslim terror suspects inspired by Anwar al-Awlaki, a web-savvy New Mexico-born radical cleric who preaches jihad in American-accented English. Devotees of Awlaki's sermons include a conspirator in the 2007 plot to attack Fort Dix and a group of Canadian Muslims who plotted to behead their prime minister; he also served as imam to several September 11 hijackers, the New York Times reports.

Awlaki, who corresponded with Nidal Hasan, "condenses the al-Qaeda philosophy into digestible, well-written treatises," according to a counterterrorism expert. Though Awlaki tells Muslims "who to kill, and why," his writings don't teach anyone how to build a bomb, and are First Amendment-protected speech. Making the question of what to do about pro-terror clerics like Awlaki even more complex, intelligence analysts view websites like his as valuable counterterrorism tools, as those who visit such sites can be tracked.

I wonder if there's a way to get this guy under the RICO act,? Any lawyers out there care to comment?

cochiserocks

Nov 19, 2009 3:54 AM CST

DLY - I agree with your first statement. The reduction of civil liberties in the name of the War on Terror is an ongoing dichotomy. Nidal Hasan and others like him though are effectively brainwashing, subverting and radicalising individuals in such a way that they become lethal weapons. I don't get why such a clear incitement to murder cannot be legislated against - especially as they've already made such sweeping generalised moves in Europe. The right to silence under interrogation (and by proxy, the 'innocent until proven guilty' concept has been severely dented), the need for lawmen to have grounds for suspicion before stop and search, and even the right to protest (Public Order Act 1986 + Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994) have been curtailed to such an extent that the very concepts this war on terror is meant to be protecting, have been undermined. They can even hold you without charge now. I'm not naive enough to think that we can look the other way and 'right will win' in this mess - but fighting an ideology with weapons and power has never worked out in the past (Just ask the Christian Church), so I'm confused about why they think it will work now. Education, literacy, open access to resources, greater economic success - these are all things which historically have been far more successful at stopping the rise of extremism. They'll always be nutcases and psychos out there - I'm concerned we've given them a banner to congregate under and now we're trying to stamp on an ant hill.